Cleveland, OH: Top Things to Know About Storage

The Four Seasons

As far as weather goes, Cleveland has four distinct seasons. Winters get cold and snowy, allowing families to build snowmen and to providing a classic white Christmas. Summers are generally warm with temperatures in the 70s, though some days can get hot and muggy.

So, the question is, do you or do you not get a self-storage unit with climate control in Cleveland? It really depends on what you’re storing. If what you will store includes musical instruments, paintings, or anything else that don’t do well with any heat and humidity, or freezing temperatures, then you will need climate control. Depending on the number of humid days in a particular year in Cleveland, other slightly-less sensitive items like books, paper files, and cloth might be all right, but if the humidity lasts very long they can suffer damage as well.

Will you be renting the unit for just a few months in the spring or fall? If so, you could probably forgo climate control. To be on the safe side, if renting a unit year-round, or just during the summer or winter, get a climate controlled unit for a bit of extra protection for your stuff.

Declining Population

Despite its lovely year-round weather, Cleveland’s population has been dropping for years. In 1990 about 507,000 people lived there and by 2013, that number dropped to 390,000. All of Cuyohoga County, which includes Cleveland, has been ranked as having the second worst population decline in the U.S. When a city’s population drops quickly, it ends up with empty buildings and a lot of wasted tax dollars. The desirability of the city as a place to live declines, and of course so do property prices. Due to such imbalances, crime increases dramatically, and this has made Cleveland one of the ten most dangerous U.S. cities. In short, if you live in Cleveland, you’re probably quite used to locking your home completely, doors and windows, keeping your car locked, and you know which areas to avoid. Your safety and the safety of your belongings is important to you. Because of that, it’s important to find a self-storage unit with great security. That includes high walls, gated access, employees frequently walking around the facility, good lighting, a monitored camera system, and alarms.

Music, Festivals, and Theater

Yes, Cleveland’s population has been on the decline for decades, and crime is a big problem, but the citizens of Cleveland do what they can to make the city a place worth calling home. From The Cleveland Flea, a monthly flea market, to lakefront beach parties, Cleveland always has something fun to do. In May, you can enjoy the Art Song Festival, and in December, the World Yoyo Contest, and those are just two out of dozens.

How does this affect your self-storage? Events like festivals often slow down traffic, especially in the general area where the event is taking place. Keep an eye out for what events are happening every month on sites like This Is Cleveland. That way, if you need to get to your storage unit on the day of a festival, and especially if the event is between you and your storage facility, you’ll know to expect traffic. You might even consider getting what you need from storage the day before. Plus, you’ll learn what exciting things are happening around town and, if you like, you can participate. Over all, Cleveland is a city where you can get out of it what you put into it. If you keep your home protected and choose a safe self-storage facility, become involved with events and the community, and enjoy the good the city has to offer, you’ll get a lot out of living there.